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INDIANAPOLIS — Bojan Bogdanovic scored 30 points, leading the Indiana Pacers back from a 17-point halftime deficit for a 92-90 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night for a 2-1 lead in their first-round series.
Cleveland was 39-0 during the regular season when leading after three quarters and kept that perfect mark intact with a Game 2 win.
The incredible second-half charge came exactly one year after Indiana blew a 26-point halftime lead in a historic playoff collapse against the Cavs.
WIZARDS 122, RAPTORS 103: Bradley Beal heeded his coach’s plea to “do his job” by scoring 21 of his 28 points in the first half, his All-Star backcourt running mate John Wall delivered 28 points and 14 assists, and Washington beat Toronto in an occasionally heated game to cut its Eastern Conference firstround playoff series deficit to 2-1.
After letting the Raptors grab the first 2-0 series lead in franchise history, the Wizards came home and checked off every box coach Scott Brooks presented.
BUCKS 116, CELTICS 92: Khris Middleton scored 23 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 19 and the Milwaukee Bucks used a dominating first half to overwhelm the visiting Boston Celtics, narrowing their deficit in the first-round playoff series to 2-1. Eric Bledsoe and Jabari Parker each added 17 for the energized Bucks, who held the Celtics without a field goal for nearly an 11-minute stretch of the first half.
Milwaukee found its defense after a disheartening 14-point loss in Game 2, getting contributions from up and down the roster.
Backup center Thon Maker scored 14 points and blocked five shots.
—Associated Press
The Knicks reportedly plan to discuss their vacancy with Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer, adding arguably the most accomplished candidate to a list that was already long.
Budenholzer is still under contract with the Hawks but has been given permission by the club to interview with other teams. The 2015 Coach of the Year already spoke with the Suns but reportedly withdrew from consideration.
“Bud’ wants out of Atlanta,” a source with knowledge of his thinking told the Daily News.
New York’s plan to talk to Budenholzer was reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which also wrote that the coach may still return to the Hawks. He has two years and about $14 million remaining on